Tuesday, May 11, 2010

God's Plan

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about God’s plan for my life. At one of my Cross Immersion groups a few weeks back, the Lord revealed to me that God’s plan for my life isn’t for me. God’s plan for my life is for Him. God’s plan for my life isn’t a series of events that culminates in me somehow being exalted, admired or me having it all. God’s plan for my life isn’t that I would do several great things or even one great thing. God’s plan for my life is this: That He would be glorified and revealed in whatever situation I find myself in. God’s plan for my life isn’t about blessing me; God’s plan for my life is about glorifying Him.

It’s so simple, yet also quite offensive. In the past I had thought that God wanted me to do great things and that His plan for me was for everyone to end up noticing whatever greatness I achieved – of course God would receive glory too because I was getting glory and I would acknowledge Him and everyone would know that I’m a Christian so He would get glory by default. Pshh… whatever…

God’s plan for my life has nothing to do with me ending up somewhere or me ending up doing something. It isn’t that I would write songs that everyone would sing. It isn’t that I would have a home that’s big enough for a family. It isn’t that I would have a car or that I would make enough money to live a comfortable life. God’s plan isn’t about me, or how I am perceived (by myself or others). Now I’m not saying that those things won’t occur or that God doesn’t want those things for us. But all those things are peripheral to God’s primary goal and plan.

I was reading Philippians 1 last night and verse 20 really stuck out to me. I read it and God said to me, “This is my plan for the lives of my people”. In the Holman Christian Standard version of this verse, Paul states:

“My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death”

God’s plan is that we will not be ashamed about anything. Whether we’re a stay-at-home dad or a rock star, God’s plan is that we would be so engaged with Christ in us that shame is never an issue. Later in Philippians Paul talks about how he has learned to be content in all things. He can be rich or he can be poor. He can be well fed or hungry. He is content in all things because he engages with Christ in him. And while being content Paul simultaneously highly honors Christ!

Christ isn’t honored by our achievements or possessions. He isn’t honored by what we do nor is he honored by what we end up doing. Christ is honored when we believe Him. Christ is honored when we follow the Holy Spirit. Christ is honored when we rest in His finished work on the Cross. To be honest, I think that there is less that actually honors Jesus than we think.

This revelation has been quite freeing for me. Inside I feel a whole other level of freedom from the world’s expectations and judgments. I never have to be ashamed about my title or lack thereof. I don’t have to be ashamed that I don’t make a lot of money. I don’t have to be ashamed that I never signed a professional recording contract. At one time those things were the goals of my life, but such is no longer the case. I have one goal now, one plan; and it is God’s. God’s plan is that I encounter and engage with Christ in me regardless of whatever situation or circumstance I find myself in. That’s it. That’s all. Nothing more, nothing less.

Thank You Jesus for this freedom!

2 comments:

judith said...

ahh so true! thanks for sharing this with us grande! i totally feel you on this:

"In the past I had thought that God wanted me to do great things and that His plan for me was for everyone to end up noticing whatever greatness I achieved – of course God would receive glory too because I was getting glory and I would acknowledge Him and everyone would know that I’m a Christian so He would get glory by default. Pshh… whatever…"

i laughed because it's true... sometimes it's so obvious and other times it's so subtle we don't even realize it!

Mikey said...

whoa. yes. that is good!

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